Ravens win the battle for Elvis Dumervil with 5-year deal

Mar. 24, 2013
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Denver Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil (92) reacts on the sidelines after giving up a touchdown pass to the Baltimore Ravens in the second quarter of the AFC divisional round playoff game at Sports Authority Field. / Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

by Jim Corbett and Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

by Jim Corbett and Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens have won the Elvis Dumervil Sweepstakes, coming to an agreement with the former Denver Broncos defensive end Sunday.

Dumervil's contract is worth a maximum of $35 million, according to a person informed of the terms of the contract. The person, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the financial details weren't to be discussed publicly, said the contract includes $8.5 million in the first year of the deal and there's a $3.5 million injury guarantee next season, for a total of $12 million guaranteed.

If that injury guarantee sounds familiar, it's because the Broncos also offered Dumervil $3.5 million in an injury guarantee in the second year of a reworked deal. He and his former agent initially balked at the offer and then accepted -- too late.

It wasn't a full-page ad in the local newspaper, like Ed Reed's goodbye to Ravens fans, but Dumervil posted this on his Twitter account Sunday night:

"Can't say enough about the Broncos fans, my great teammates, equipment staff, training staff, media staff, Mr. Bowlen, Coach Fox, John Elway and the city of Denver. Its been an unforgettable 7 years. I am looking fwd to this next chapter of my career."

(Memo to Roger Goodell: With the Ravens still looking for an opening day opponent to play on the road, how about the Broncos? It's not only a playoff rematch, but the Ravens would be bringing Dumervil and his contract drama with them.)

With former Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora close to a deal with the Atlanta Falcons, that most likely leaves the Broncos to choose between former Falcons defensive end John Abraham and former Indianapolis Colts pass rusher Dwight Freeney -- although the Miami Dolphins could be in the mix, too.

At last week's owners meetings, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said he had reached out to Dumervil's new agent, Tom Condon, to express interest in the free-agent pass rusher, who was on the street following the infamous fax fiasco.

Dumervil, 29, rang up 63.5 sacks with Denver and initially intended to re-sign with the team despite taking a $4 million paycut -- only to be cut when he and his former agent missed the deadline to turn in his re-worked contract by six minutes.

The Broncos owed Dumervil $12 million for the 2013 but told his former agent Marty Magid that they intended to release him unless he took a pay cut. Dumervil agreed at the 11th hour to sign a contract that would have paid him $8 million in 2013, but Dumervil and his former agent didn't get the paperwork faxed to the team in time by the 4 p.m. Eastern deadline.

The Broncos remained interested in re-signing Dumervil, until the Ravens swooped in Sunday in a bid to make up for the free-agent defections of pass-rushing outside linebacker Paul Kruger to Cleveland, inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe to Miami, safety Ed Reed to Houston and the retirement of veteran linebacker Ray Lewis.

Dumervil finished second on the Broncos in 2012 with 11.5 sacks. But the question remains: Did he really want to return to Denver if he had a choice?

Broncos president John Elway issued a gracious statement, but he probably feels as though he was nearly played by the (ex) agent and then totally played by the player.

"As we have from the start of this process, we worked diligently over the last week to find a way for Elvis Dumervil to remain a Denver Bronco,'' Broncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway said in a statement. "Although we made multiple contract offers to Elvis after being forced to release him, we were unable to reach an agreement and are now moving forward without him.

"Elvis was a team captain and a talented player who made a great impact during his seven seasons in Denver. I appreciate all of his effort on the field and the work he did in the community. I wish Elvis all the best as he continues his NFL career.''

The deal is contingent upon Dumervil passing a physical, and the Ravens said he will take the physical on Tuesday.

Cutler was the first to leave, in a 2009 trade after a nasty feud with Josh McDaniels, Shanahan's replacement as head coach, and Marshall and Scheffler were traded after the 2009 season (both also quarreled with McDaniels).

Now only Kuper remains, though his future with the Broncos is far from secure. Though Kuper has been a team captain and is the offensive line's unquestioned leader, he has had multiple ankle surgeries in the past year, as well as a broken forearm. The Broncos signed guard Louis Vasquez on the first day of free agency, a sign of long-term concern about Kuper.

Kuper and left tackle Ryan Clady, a first-round pick in 2008, are the only remaining draft picks from the Shanahan era.